A recent YouGov survey revealed that less than 1 in 3 people are aware of vulval cancer, and nearly 8 in 10 women have never checked their vulva for signs of the disease. While 37% of women regularly check their breasts for changes, only 4% do the same for their vulva.
Although vulval cancer is less well-known, it’s not as rare as many might think. Over 1,400 cases are diagnosed annually in the UK, with rates increasing by 18% between 1993-1995 and 2017-2019.
While the disease is most common in women over 60, it can affect anyone with a vulva at any age. Since the 1990s, diagnoses have risen by 67% in women aged 25-49 and by 101% in those aged 50-59.
The goal is to make checking for vulval changes as routine as checking for other cancers. To support this, the ‘Self-check First’ text reminder service is being launched. This service will send a monthly reminder to check for vulval changes, along with a helpful ‘how-to’ guide
.
More information is available on the website: https://bit.ly/3Z83uWp.